Some of my favorite places in the world can only be reached on foot. There's something so satisfying about reaching a peak or summit after having worked hard and pushed your body to get there.

I'm talking about hiking, of course. For as long as I can remember I have loved to hike. I've had some of my biggest emotional breakthroughs while on a trail, particularly if I am alone. I don't hike alone often, and if I do I tell someone where I am going. I also try to stick to familiar trails if I'm going alone. Safety first, folks!

I remember as a child my maternal grandparents were often looked down upon because they didn't attend church. I also remember my grandfather telling me that he went to church in the mountains. I was a little confused by that at first, because I didn't think there were any churches up there.

As I grew up, I started to understand what he meant. When I was younger I thought camping and hiking was boring - until I learned to appreciate it. The stillness of sitting on a mountain top really can't be compared to anything else.

For so long when I would hike I paid close attention to my feet. I made sure I was planting them solidly, not tripping over rocks or branches, and just overall having a sturdy foundation. This was more or less what my hikes looked like:

Looks great, right? Yeah, not so much. I know my shoes are super cool looking and all, but it's not exactly this:

So what's my point? You may have figured it out already, but the point is that you really have to stop and look around sometimes. The high point of a hike is most certainly the peak or summit, but there is so much more to it than just that. Climbing a mountain is a beautiful thing. You have to stop and look around, or you're going to miss out on the majority of the experience.

Why am I telling you this? Lots of people don't hike. Lots of people don't have access to mountains. Obvs. But the lesson here is so much bigger. Hiking gives us life lessons.

We all have goals or things we are aspiring to do or to become. That's the peak or the summit of the mountain you are climbing. How many times have you said, "I will be happy when I get that promotion," or "I will be happy once I've lost 20 pounds," or "I will be happy once I find the perfect relationship, create the perfect family and live in the perfect house." Certainly at one time or another you have felt that you will be happy WHEN.

What about right now? What is amazing or wonderful or happy in your life as it is right now? What are you thankful for today? Embracing an attitude of gratitude for the daily things in our lives holds SO MUCH POWER.

Sure, there are times when you need to look down and get your footing. Maybe it's some technical terrain or really steep. Is it okay to look down here? Sure! You want to get to where you're going safely. Just remember to look up again once you've cleared it. :)

Howdy faithful followers! Thanks for stopping by. I wanted to share a little story with you.

If you had asked me six months ago what the one thing is that I would never give up, I'd have told you coffee. I couldn't function in the morning without my cup(s) of coffee. I had started taking a supplement that worked better on an empty stomach, but I refused to go 30 minutes in the morning without coffee, so it probably didn't work as well as it otherwise could have.

The addiction was real. I wasn't just tired without it - I was grumpy, groggy and unable to function.

My son would try teasing me that I was an addict. I couldn't even disagree with him. But I was functioning okay with it, so what was the harm? Right? WRONG.

About the time I started getting really serious about health coaching I started talking with my own gut health coach. I was having some pretty significant gut issues and I was desperate for help. I tried researching a few things on my own, but didn't find anything that really helped. My classes weren't addressing gut health, so I reached out to someone who had been there.

Everything she suggested I was willing to do - eliminate grains, eliminate sugar, and with the exception of dairy, eat "as paleo as possible." I predominantly eat paleo, so I wasn't too concerned about that. She encouraged me to drink carrot juice every morning, and significantly increase my fat intake, primarily in the forms of coconut oil and Kerrygold butter. That didn't seem too hard at all.

She reviews everything and says, "How much of this will you do?" I tell her, "Everything. You haven't suggested anything yet that I can't live with." She says, "Even the coffee?" I froze. I had forgotten she mentioned giving up coffee, as it can be a gut irritant.

At the time we had planned for this to be a two week challenge. But two weeks without coffee? I hadn't done that since I was pregnant with my youngest son twenty years ago. Like I said, though, I was desperate, so I agreed to give it a try for two weeks. I forewarned all those who worked and lived with me that the next couple of weeks might not be pretty.

Day one of No Grains, No Sugar, No Processed Foods, and No Coffee came, and it wasn't too terrible. I made Crio Bru and blended it with coconut oil. I had my carrot juice. My meals were more or less the same, but I cut out the processed snacks and started reading labels to look for added sugar in a way that would have made Melissa Hartwig proud.

Somehow I made it though. It wasn't pretty and I'm not going to pretend that it was. I had no energy. I had headaches. My body ached. I was miserable. It was so tempting to just have one cup of coffee because I knew it would get rid of the symptoms. I stuck to it, though, because I had committed that I would.

Guess what? After about a week I started feeling better. By the end of the two weeks I felt great. I thought back to the Whole30 Timeline and most of it seemed to fit - except that on Whole30 you still get coffee. Yes, I was bitter about it, but I was thrilled that I was feeling better.

At the end of the two weeks I still kept brewing my Crio Bru in the mornings. A friend wanted to go out for coffee and talk. I figured I had gotten through the two weeks without cheating, and I was feeling great, so I was going to get the coffee. If it made me sick then I would know to avoid it.

The first coffee after the 2 week challenge.. mmm..

But ... it didn't. I felt good. I had been really tired that day up to our coffee date and it perked me right up. I wasn't jittery and my stomach didn't hurt. I still felt good. Could it be that I could really bring coffee back into my life without negative side effects?

As stoked as I was, I still put on the Crio Bru the next morning. And the morning after that. And the entire week until Friday. On Friday I was going to a day long mastermind and figured I deserved a treat. So I stopped at a Starbucks, picked up a flat white, and headed to my meeting.

I fully embrace my ADHD. I accept it for what it is and I do what I can to function as best I can. But that morning ... oh my gracious the squirrels were everywhere! Every little thing someone did or said completely distracted me. I couldn't focus. I was talking a million miles an hour. Then my friend points out, "Aren't you drinking coffee??"

Duh. That was exactly what the problem was. Shortly after that my gut started yelling at me. Well, shit. Maybe I can't do the coffee anymore. I didn't drink any more and actually poured it out, something I consider to be the ultimate party foul. But I didn't want my stomach hurting worse than it did.

I went back to the Crio Bru again, occasionally switching it out for tea. I continued the regime until .... The Party. One of my bestest girlfriends threw a house party, and the night was all about whiskey. Kentucky Mules, some other drinks I can't pronounce, and snacks. She's a fitness trainer so of course the majority of snacks were healthy, but there was enough sugar in the juices and mixtures to really do a number on me. I ended up crashing at her place.

The next morning she offers me a cup of coffee. I accept, because I'm still feeling like a bag of smashed assholes from the night before. At first it tastes great. I sip and enjoy the whole cup. I felt okay ... until I didn't. I more or less spent the rest of the day in bed, sleeping on and off, and sipping what I can of V8 juice and ginger ale. I had been doing okay until the coffee.

I vowed at that point I would not have coffee again.

So what happened? How did I go from a girl who lived on coffee and has an entire Pinterest board dedicated to coffee memes to being the girl who drinks Crio Bru and herbal tea?

It really came down to motivation. I believe that any time we try to do something that we don't necessarily want to do, particularly if we are eliminating something, there can be stages of grief.

Denial: I don't really have to give up coffee. I feel just fine. I can deal with some stomach discomfort. Besides, there's probably another cause besides the coffee.

Anger: Seriously?! What do you mean coffee isn't making me healthy?! I can't function without coffee. And I might lose it and punch someone out and go to jail, but that's not MY fault, it's yours for making me stop.

Bargaining: Hmm, okay, well, maybe coffee isn't so good for my gut. I'm sure I can still drink it sometimes when I'm really tired or when it's a special occasion. I just won't drink it every day.

Depression: OMG. I can't believe I have to drink Crio Bru for the rest of my life. Now all the pins on my coffee board on Pinterest are worthless. There aren't any good Crio Bru memes. My life as I know it is over.

Acceptance: Well, here we are. I haven't had a coffee in two months and I'm feeling pretty good. I guess there is something to this gut health thing. Tea and Crio Bru are a nice treat in the mornings!

Once I realized and accepted the benefits of avoiding coffee I was in good shape. My motivation had to come extrinsically at first (the negative impact of the coffee on my body) and then intrinsically (my desire to maintain a higher quality of gut health).

I would encourage you to look at yourself and what healthy habits you want to make (or what unhealthy habits you want to break). Where is your motivation coming from? Is it extrinsic or intrinsic? What increases or decreases your motivation? If you are trying to give something up, what stage of grief are you in? If you are trying to do something new, how are you incorporating this into your routine?

If this seems a little overwhelming, don't fret. Sometimes having someone for ideas and accountability can be so helpful! Have you ever worked with a Certified Health Coach before? Hit me up by dropping a comment or contacting me here. I'd love to do a free call with you to see if health coaching would be a good fit.

Instead of a recipe, today I wanted to spend a few minutes reflecting on something with you. I recently met this incredible group of female entrepreneurs who have inspired me on so many levels. Even if I tried to tell you everything, I couldn't. Anyway, two of them did a live Facebook video talking about money energy. It was incredible. The main message, as I took it, was that you are basically going to get your attitude back. Whatever you throw out to the universe is going to come back to you tenfold. If you throw out stress and worry, you're going to get back money problem after money problem. If you throw out positivity, that's what you're going to get back.

Just as an example, I tried it. I'd been super stressed out about the battery in my car being weak, but the dealership had quoted me about $150 to replace it. Gasp! I couldn't possibly part with $150 right now because I'm saving for X, Y and Z. So each morning I would close my eyes, cross my fingers and say a little prayer as I started my car. On this particular morning, it barely turned over. The colder it gets, the harder it is to start. An hour or so later I found myself completely drawn in to this message about positive money energy. Okay. I'm in. I stopped thinking about the cost. I stopped worrying about whether or not I could afford it. I drove to Sam's Club on my lunch and talked with the auto department about getting the battery replaced.

Something incredible happened, and I do not believe it is a coincidence. The battery was on sale for $107, and they did free installation. Positive money energy. I truly believe this is a result of letting go and just taking care of what needed to be done.

I got talking with a good friend of mine and realized this concept of energy can be applied to almost everything in your life - particularly your relationship with food. All too often we get caught up in eating what we think we "should" eat, feeling guilty for things we "shouldn't," and all the while cycle through negative feelings about our food. This feels so wrong! Food is meant to be enjoyed. Yet we attach so much negativity and pressure to it that it becomes more of a burden than something to be savored.

Food is fuel, but it isn't just fuel. We toast in the new year with champagne. We have cake and ice cream at birthday parties. We go out to dinner with our families to celebrate a big promotion. I can't think of a single culture that doesn't use food to celebrate in one way or another. It brings us together and keeps us close. Think about your childhood memories - I bet more than a few involved baking cookies with grandma or making a favorite meal with a parent.

So why do we allow ourselves to feel like crap over the things that we're eating? We restrict, we deny ourselves, we fight - until we can't, and then we end up binging on the very things we were restricting in the first place, and feel guilty. The guilt drives us to restrict and deny ourselves, and so the cycle goes. Hands up, who's been there? I bet we all have at one time or another, haven't we?

I wonder what would happen if we just let go a little bit? What if we just decided that it's okay to eat that cookie your co-worker made? What if we didn't feel guilty about eating cake and ice cream at the family get together? What if we actually took a few minutes to enjoy that piece of pecan pie after Thanksgiving dinner? I'm willing to bet that the energy concept will apply here, too - you get back what you put out.

Now, I'm certainly not saying we should give ourselves license to shovel junk into our bodies just because it tastes good. That's not going to do anyone any favors. I just think there's something to be said for eating well, and eating well should include some chocolate and a glass of wine - guilt free. :)

What are your thoughts? What do you think would happen if you gave yourself permission to enjoy food again?

Hands up, who's a huge fan of simple recipes for dinner? Now, who is a foodie, at least to some extent? Now how many of you raised your hands twice? I did.

You've probably heard the phrase, food is fuel. Sure, I'm all about that, but those of us who are foodies can only eat chicken and broccoli so many times before you hit the floor screaming. Who's with me?

Today's recipe lends itself to a ketogenic diet, but if you're going for lower fat, simply swap out the ground beef for ground turkey. It's super simple, but sure doesn't taste like it. Serve over zoodles to keep it keto friendly, or serve it over baked fries or baked potato if you're into carbs.

Directions:

Bring oil to medium heat in a large pot. Add chopped onion. Cook and stir frequently until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef (or turkey). Continue cooking and stirring, breaking up any large chunks, until almost no pink remains.

Add chili powder, salt, paprika and garlic powder, adjusting to your own preference. Add chopped mushrooms and continue cooking until mushrooms are soft. Stir in chopped spinach and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in tomato sauce. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Let cook 30 minutes or until flavors are developed to your liking. Serve over zoodles, fries or potatoes. Top with cheese, sour cream and/or sliced avocado. For a lower fat option, use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.

Instant Pot Option: Follow all directions above using the saute function of your Instant Pot. After adding the tomato sauce, cover and set to manual for 15 minutes. Natural release 5 minutes then quick release.

Wouldn't this recipe go GREAT with some corn muffins? Well, guess what? You found a prize inside this blog post! Click here to go to our online store, then use code CRACKCHILI to get 15% off your order. Limited to the first 10 people to use this code, so don't wait!

Hi again! Thanks for stopping by, I missed you! Who has been working on turning their negative beliefs and feelings into gratitude statements? Hands up! I have! There was a day earlier this week when I just didn't get around to it and I had a pretty lousy day. I don't believe that's a coincidence. Any insights or anything you're thankful for? Drop them in the comments below!

I think I mentioned last time I've been doing a keto diet for a while now and for the most part I really like it. Going out to eat with family kinda sucks, and there are times I just really, really want a piece of fruit, but overall it's going pretty great. I started doing it to 1) lose fat and 2) reduce systemic inflammation. Number 1 hasn't really happened, but number 2 seems to be happening. My random aches and pains have more or less gone away. So yeah, I'm totally on the keto train! One of the things I miss the most, though, is a hot, steaming bowl of oatmeal on a cold, rainy morning.

If you're doing any type of diet that eliminates grains, whether it's Paleo, low carb or something else, you've probably seen recipes for N'Oatmeal scattered across the internet. There are dozens of them out there. Whenever I make N'Oatmeal I try to incorporate some type of vegetable or lower carb fruit. N'Oatmeal is great, but it can be a bit heavy if you don't add something fresh. Veggies with a mild flavor will work themselves in just fine - think chopped fresh spinach, shredded zucchini, or mashed cauliflower. You could also choose some fruit - but if you're doing keto stick to the lower carb fruits like berries.

Today's N'Oatmeal turned out absolutely perfect so I wanted to share it with you. It has just a touch of sweetness, nuttiness from the flax, and a umami element from the PB Fit. I topped it off with a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream and it was absolutely perfect. A few berries mixed in would have been fantastic, too. This recipe is very forgiving and easily adaptable, so feel free to own it and make whatever changes your heart desires. Too thick? Add more almond milk. Too thin? Add more chia or flax.

*Instead of regular flax seed meal I used Barlean's Flax*Chia*Coconut mixture. If you can find that, I highly recommend it. If not, regular ground flax seeds will work. **If you desire a higher fat, higher calorie N'Oatmeal, simply substitute any nut butter for the PB Fit.

Directions: Combine all dry ingredients in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the almond milk, starting with 1 cup. Turn the heat to medium and add zucchini. Stir frequently. Add additional almond milk as needed until desired consistency is reached. Once mixture is simmering and desired consistency is reached, remove from heat and serve.

Hi everyone! Today I have a fun recipe for you! But first, I wanted to share a little brain food nugget. If that's not your thing, feel free to scroll to the recipe - you won't hurt my feelings.

Last week I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Female Entrepreneur Empire Awaken conference. I initially signed up as a vendor to sell my delicious gluten free baking mixes, but the conference was so incredible I would have gone just for the experience of being there.

During the conference there was a LOT of focus on self-love. This was a bit surprising to me given that it was targeted toward female entrepreneurs. Surprising or not, it turns out this was really something I needed. I think most women probably struggle more in this area than they care to admit, even to themselves. Yep, my hand is up.

While I was mulling over this concept of self-love and its importance, I started to realize that one of the things making me the most miserable was my own negativity. I was negative about people, places, things and incidents, and it was weighing me down. One of the speakers at the conference, Kirk Duncan, suggested keeping a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down at least 7 things you are grateful for. Good call, Kirk.

Except ... doing it at night didn't quite feel right. I started doing it in the morning. First thing when I got to work, I took a few minutes to write things I was grateful for. At first this felt difficult, particularly when I fought traffic to get to my office, then I had to deal with the dishes left unwashed in the sink by my inconsiderate co-workers, and I had a pile of emails waiting for me, each containing its own emergency that somehow warrants my immediate attention.

Then it hit me: these don't have to be negative experiences. These are opportunities for gratitude. Instead of being upset by the emails, I can be grateful that I have a job that is flexible enough I can take time off pretty much whenever I want. Instead of being irritated by a messy break room, I can be grateful that I work in a place where I have access to a break room, allowing me to eat pretty much any healthy meal I want for lunch. Instead of being stressed out by other drivers, I can be grateful that I have a job to go to.

Self love from gratitude. I can't believe how much better I feel about everything, including myself. I was for sure internalizing my criticisms of others. By turning those into statements of gratitude, I'm also feeling less critical of myself.

Self love. It's so important. I'll be working on this moving forward.

What do you think? What are some negative experiences you can turn into gratitude? Let me know in the comments below!

And now, on to the recipe.

If you're anything like me, life is busy right now! We're coming up on the holidays, we're shopping, we're working, we're hitting the gym, and we're still trying to get a healthy meal on the table. Not an easy feat. So I need something quick and easy, but it's gotta be healthy, too. I recently started on a ketogenic journey, so today's recipe is going to have all the low-carb, high-fat goodness you can stand. If keto isn't your thing, I've got suggestions at the end for lower-fat deliciousness.

Directions: Heat oil in a large pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant.

Add ground beef and break up with a spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat is no longer pink. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Drain excess fat from beef, if desired. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until mushrooms are soft.

Who doesn't love a hard boiled egg? They're portable, full of protein, and relatively inexpensive. But if you've ever tried to peel a hard boiled egg, you know that is often easier said than done. So often the whites will stick to the shells, and if you're lucky you end up with enough edible egg left when you're done to make it worth the hassle of making them. Then, of course, the shell comes off the next egg perfectly.

So what gives? Why do some eggs peel perfectly and others hold on for dear life? I used to just think eggs were temperamental. If you search the internet for ways to cook an egg so the shell comes off easily, you'll find dozens of answers. They may sound a lot like this:

"Use older eggs." "Use fresh eggs." "Start with your eggs in cold water and bring to a boil with your eggs in the pot." "Don't boil them, steam them." "Put them directly in an ice bath when they're done cooking." "Don't boil them, let them sit in hot water." "Put them in a mason jar with water and shake to remove the shell."

The problem is, these suggestions are all based on guesses, personal experience and things people have "noticed" when cooking hard shell eggs. I've tried all (okay, most) of these methods and still ended up with "temperamental eggs." I never found a method that worked consistently, 100% of the time. Until...

I came across a post on Facebook that was based on science. Crazy, right? The author of the post claimed that the reason eggs wouldn't peel is because the whites attach themselves to the shell as the temperature rises. His solution was to shock the eggs - put a very cold egg into very hot water. He claimed this would cause the white to seize and pull away from the shell. By using this method, followed by an ice bath when they were done cooking, he claimed every egg would peel perfectly.

A suggestion based on science? You have my attention.

I still prefer steaming my eggs (some habits die hard, I guess). I used to let them slowly warm up over the steamer, thinking this would lead to less cracking, and it did. After reading this post, I let the water come to a full boil before removing the eggs from the fridge and immediately put them in the hot steamer basket, lid on. I'm 3 dozen eggs in to this experiment and every egg has peeled perfectly. I steam for 9 minutes and 30 seconds, because I like a slightly soft yolk.

So there you have it, a science based suggestion for peeling hard boiled eggs. So far I'm 36 out of 36 - pretty good record. Give it a shot and let me know what you think in the comments!

I've received a lot of questions about substitutions in my Healthy Baking Mixes, whether it be for variety or dietary reasons. Have you done some substitutions on your own? Please share in the comments below.

Substitutions for Butter or Coconut Oil

The Banana Bread and Zucchini Brownies can be made by substituting additional applesauce for the butter or coconut oil called for in the recipe. There is a negligible difference in texture. The same can be done with the Gluten Free Corn Muffins, but it will result in a slightly drier, more crumbly muffin.

Substitutions for Milk

People often tell me they are intolerant to dairy and want to know if they can use non-dairy milk. The answer is yes! When I create and test a mix, I use coconut milk (the kind in the box, not the can). I have also successfully substituted almond milk, oat milk and soy milk.

Substitutions for Unsweetened Applesauce

Did you forget to buy applesauce? Have an allergy? Don't fret. Canned pumpkin will substitute cup for cup for the applesauce. It also adds incredible flavor to the Doughnut Muffins and Harvest Muffins.

Mashed, ripe banana will also substitute for the applesauce. The final product will be a little more dense, but it'll work in a pinch.

Substitutions for Eggs

If you have an egg allergy or don't use eggs, you're probably already familiar with flax and chia eggs. Just whip one or two up and use them in place of the eggs in the recipe. Freeze dried egg mix also works (adding the appropriate amount of water), as does other commercially available egg substitutes. The eggs act as a binder, so anything used in baking that will bind the product together will work in these mixes as well.

Variations

Customers have reported all types of variations to these mixes, and we love them all! One customer used pumpkin applesauce and added chocolate chips to the banana bread. Another customer reports putting PB2 (powdered peanut butter) in her Chia Oats. Customers have put chocolate chips or blueberries in the Doughnut Muffins. I've mixed frozen raspberries (melted) into the Zucchini Brownies. A customer has topped the Zucchini Brownies with almond butter.

Do you have a suggestion for a variation to one of our mixes? Have you added something that tasted incredible? Share with us in the comments below, we'd love to hear from you!

It's almost the start of a new year, a time when people are over the holidays and ready to start getting in shape. For some this means buying a gym membership and for others it means stocking up on home workout equipment. Back in the day I was a total gym rat. I found as my life got busier it was more effective for me to work out at home.

I don't know about you, but I feel like exercise DVDs are fairly hit and miss. Some of them I absolutely love, and others just don't quite cut it. Either I don't get enough of a workout or it's awkward or otherwise not what I'm expecting. I started borrowing DVDs from the library before purchasing, but their selection is fairly limited.

I've decided to review some of my favorite videos with you - telling you the pros and cons of each. Most of them are Jillian Michaels because, frankly, who's going to kick your booty like America's Toughest Trainer? Now, I'll be real with you, her workouts aren't nearly as challenging as something you're going to get in a Cross Fit or Boot Camp class. But if you're looking for some rigorous butt-kicking at home in a short amount of time and you're capable of pushing yourself, these are some great options.

I've also included reviews of some of the other workout things I do at home. Some require special equipment and others do not.

Jillian Michaels - Yoga Meltdown

This was the first Jillian Michaels DVD I purchased. I was totally in to yoga at the time and it seemed interesting.

The program: She breaks this down in to Level 1 and Level 2. Frankly, there's not much difference in the intensity of the two workouts, so I prefer to look at it as Workout 1 and Workout 2. The running time is roughly 35 minutes including warm up and cool down. There is no special equipment required.

What I love: It's yoga! Jillian adds dynamic movements to classic yoga poses like Warrior 2 and Crescent pose. Following each set of "reps," you'll hold the pose, so your muscles start screaming just a little.

What's lacking: Because you're just using your body weight as resistance, it's not the most intense workout. There isn't much cardio, so you aren't going to burn a ton of calories. There isn't much focus on ab work, either. While she does a fair job explaining the positions, having some familiarity with yoga is almost required to avoid injury.

My overall impression: this is a good workout for days when you're just not "feeling it," but want to do something. I often use this in between some of the more intense workouts.

Jillian Michaels - Yoga Inferno

After trying Yoga Meltdown, I knew this was one I had to get. I loved the concept she had going, and Inferno sounded more intense than Meltdown - this DVD didn't disappoint.

The program: There are two workouts, approximately 35 minutes each including warm up and cool down. Workout 1 requires no special equipment, and Workout 2 requires a set of light hand weights. She recommends 3lb weights unless you're "out of your mind insane," in which case you could use a set of 5lb weights.

What I love: These workouts do a really good job of incorporating strength and cardio. Both workouts provide a really intense session, particularly if you follow the "make it harder" modifications. It's less yoga-like and more Jillian-circuit-like, but it still has a fun yoga component to it. The warm-up section in these workouts is better than some of her other videos.

What's lacking: In Workout 2, the use of hand weights feels unbalanced. For some of the exercises they really add a nice component, but in others (such as the bicep curl), it's simply not enough weight and it seems pointless. I tried swapping them out for heavier weights, but then they become too heavy. The cool-down segment of the workouts, particularly Workout 2, leaves a lot to be desired.

My overall impression: This is my favorite Jillian Michaels video. I love the intensity, but you really have to be willing to push yourself. I add a little of my own cool-down work to compensate for what's missing.

Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred

I was super excited to try this video because I'd heard so much about it. I found it at a second-hand store still sealed in the package for $2 - so of course picking it up was a no-brainer.

The program: There are three levels of this workout program. Each are 20 minutes in length (coming in around 23 minutes total running time with warm up and cool down). A set of hand weights are required. Jillian recommends 5lb or 8lb. There are three circuits which include 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs.

What I love: Jillian's 3-2-1 circuit is a great concept. You can really push yourself in each portion of the circuit knowing that you're going to be doing something completely different in just a couple of minutes. I also like that each level gets progressively harder, so once you've adapted to one level, you can move on to the next for a better workout. This workout is perfect on mornings when I don't have a lot of time.

What's lacking: I really question how much impact a 20 minute workout can have on overall health. You really have to push during these 20 minutes - no slacking allowed. I have to stop often to swap out my weights to make sure I'm getting the most out of my workout. 5lb weights just aren't going to cut it for me with bent over rows, but 10lbs is just too much for reverse flies and overhead press moves. I feel like the warm-up segment isn't long enough, and I really wish the ab segments were a little longer. The "recommendation" is to do this workout daily. My concern about this is that you're going to be working the exact same muscles every day with no rest in between - and your muscles need time to recover - that's Fitness 101.

Overall impression: If you're intimidated by this workout - don't be. It's challenging, but it's not nearly as tough as people think it is. For me, this is a great choice when my options are a) 20 minute workout or b) don't work out. I alternate between other workouts to avoid working the same muscles every day.

Scientific 7-Minute Workout

This is not a DVD, but a full-body workout that requires only a chair and a wall. I found out about this workout from my former Boot Camp instructor, and was stoked to learn "there's an app for that." The app is free, but you can pay for an upgrade to get the audio cues (which I believe is worth the one-time cost).

The program: This is a High Intensity Circuit Training (HICT) program. An article featured in the New York Times asserts that 7 minutes of HICT provides the same benefits as 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. Not sure I'm completely bought in to that, but it's a pretty intense workout. You go through a series of 12 exercises for 30 seconds each, with minimal rest in between (you can select a 5, 10 or 15 second rest between exercises if using the app).

What I love: This is a full-body, high intensity workout that you can do almost anywhere. It can be as hard or as easy as you make it. I set my rest time at 10 seconds because that's about how long it takes to transition from one position to the next. I'll do three or four rounds in a row, depending on how much time I have. One round isn't even worth getting dressed out for. If you have the app, it will track the days you've exercised and how many rounds you've completed. If you're so inclined, you could add some hand weights to some of the exercises (like lunges and squats) to add some intensity.

What it's lacking: Unlike DVD workouts, there is no one walking you through a warm up or cool down - you're on your own for that. Also, there's no one explaining proper form to you, so you need to be familiar with these basic exercises to avoid injury.

Jillian Michaels - Winning By Losing (Book)

I'm kind of a book nerd, and I've read several of Jillian's books. Some of them resonate with me while others don't, but this one I found particularly helpful. I pretty much skipped over the nutrition stuff (since my views on healthy nutrition are different than hers) but I really enjoyed the section on exercise.

The program: This book comes with a circuit program on a 12-week schedule. The exercises are based on the Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) system that is designed to keep heart rate elevated by working bigger and smaller muscles in sequence, alternating between upper and lower body. The circuits involve some cardio and ab work as well. Each week comes with four days of strength training circuits with specific instructions for each (reps, sets, etc.), and Jillian encourages cardio workouts two other days per week, with one rest day. Examples of each exercise are included in an index. A day's circuit takes about 45 minutes from warm-up to cool down.

What I love: The circuits are broken down into muscle groups. For example, Day 1 you will work chest, shoulders, triceps, quads and abs, and Day 2 you will work back, biceps, hamstrings, glutes and obliques. This means you can strength train on back-to-back days without over training any particular muscle group. Because you're alternating between upper and lower body, you can work the circuit with little to no rest between exercises. It's also simple to add more weight if what you're doing isn't quite enough. While it doesn't include a ton of cardio or ab work, you could easily add to each circuit.

What it's lacking: you are 100% on your own. There's no DVD to keep up with, and no smart phone app timing you or keeping you motivated. This is all you! Sometimes it's tempting to say, "I'll just skip this last circuit," so you have to be 100% dedicated. There is a lot of equipment required. I've successfully adapted the exercises to fit what I have at home (a TRX, hand weights, stability ball and a treadmill), but if you follow the program exactly as prescribed you're going to have to do it in a gym. Of course this presents its own challenges (space, waiting for a machine, etc). One final drawback is that there isn't a lot of cardio moves incorporated. You can either add jumping jacks, jump rope or other cardio moves to each circuit or do some cardio after your circuits are done, but this isn't your typical Jillian Michaels workout.

Overall impression: This is the perfect workout series for someone who already has workout equipment in their home and is familiar enough with strength training to modify exercises based on the available equipment. If you're a beginner and aren't familiar with basic exercise technique this might present a challenge, as performing an exercise improperly can result in injury.

You know those days when you get up on time, exercise, feel great - then you go about your day and it just goes to crap? Well, on those days I'm certainly glad I had a great morning and there's a yummy dinner waiting for me in the slow cooker when I get home.

I probably cook more beef than most, primarily because I get awesome beef from the awesome people at Canyon Meadows Ranch. Did I mention awesome? Not only is it the most delicious beef I've ever eaten, they sell their packages at a great price. I get about 30 pounds of beef for around $200 and it lasts us at least a month - sometimes longer. That's a mix of roasts, tri-tips, ground beef, stew meat, stir fry meat and even steaks.

Depending on how the roast comes out, sometimes I'll just slice it up and serve it with gravy and veggies. If it shreds nicely, tacos are definitely the way to go. I've been in a taco mood lately so this hit the spot very nicely. I served it up with my Paleo Tortillas (note: these are NOT Whole30 approved because, well, they're tortillas), power greens, avocado and salsa. Seriously yum. If you're doing Whole30 or just want to skip the tortillas (they are a little time consuming), you could make deconstructed tacos by just serving the beef on top of the greens and topping with avocado and salsa. You really can't go wrong.

You'll notice here that I call for either beef or chicken stock. This may seem odd, and I agree it is. Frankly, beef stock is fairly difficult for me to find (Sprouts only carries chicken, WTH?) and honestly it's not going to make much difference in the end product. I need a cooking liquid with flavor (water doesn't cut it for me). The tomato sauce is acidic enough that your roast won't dry out.

Rinse roast and pat dry. Season all sides of the roast with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Place roast in the center of a slow cooker. Thinly slice onions and arrange around the sides of the roast.

Pour tomato sauce directly over top of roast. Fill pot with enough stock to reach the top of the roast. The actual amount of stock will vary depending on the size of your roast and the size of your slow cooker. Cook on low 8-10 hours or until roast shreds easily with a fork.

Remove roast from slow cooker (reserving the cooking liquid). Shred roast, then return beef to slow cooker and allow it to set a few minutes to soak up some of the cooking liquid and return to temperature. Remove roast and onions together with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving plate. Serve as desired.

Running a small business, holding down a full time job and running a household all at the same time is very time consuming! Someday I'll take the plunge and cut out the full time job, but for now, it's quite the balancing act. Many hats to wear. Many responsibilities to maintain. And stress. Did I mention lots of stress?

I regularly engage in stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditating and mandala coloring. I also make sure my nutrition is on track to help my body function at its best and I exercise at least five days per week. I've started incorporating essential oils into my routine, drink kombucha, drink plenty of water, and make sure I get enough rest. Whenever possible I get outside to soak up that luscious Vitamin D. And, of course, there's the occasional glass of wine.

I'll be the first to admit I don't do the best job of prepping the healthy stuff for meals ahead of time. I know I could save myself a lot of headache if I would take time for this task, but as you can imagine there are lots of things that come up demanding my attention. I usually have eggs steamed in the refrigerator to add to a quick breakfast. I had those this morning, but I didn't have any veggies prepped since I'd polished them off yesterday.

I'm certainly not the first to come up with the concept of baking eggs and vegetables together, and I know I won't be the last. Once upon a time I cut open a bell pepper, scooped out the seeds, filled it with eggs and veggies and baked it. It was absolutely delish, but still a little bit too time consuming for those really hectic mornings.

I had this prepped and in the oven in less than five minutes, and let it bake while I was getting ready. Absolutely perfect. I let them cool just slightly before scooping them into a container and running out the door. I'm fortunate enough to have a desk job so I can eat breakfast while working. If that's not the case for you, you could still put these in the oven while you're getting ready and eat before leaving the house.

The photo may give you the impression that I used two eggs in two of the ramekins and one egg in the other. This actually isn't the case - I just ended up with two eggs that had double yolks. How freakin' cool is that??

Note that here I used raw leafy greens and spaghetti squash. I still had some of the squash prepped in the refrigerator, and I almost always have leafy greens. But, really, any veggies will work. You could even zoodle some sweet potatoes and put them in the bottom of the ramekin, similar to what I do with my quiche recipe. You can also vary the seasonings. Personally I have a very sensitive palate in the morning and can't handle much outside of the salt, paprika and onion powder. But feel free to vary it according to your taste preference. :)

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 6 ramekins with butter or coconut oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Layer greens and spaghetti squash in ramekins (or whatever veggies you want to use). Lightly season with salt and onion powder. Crack one egg into each ramekin, then lightly season with salt, onion powder and paprika.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until eggs have set. Let cool slightly. You can either eat it directly out of the ramekin, or transfer to a serving plate.

I have this friend who calls me her spirit animal. I love it! I don't feel like I even have to explain what that means. Spirit Animal. That covers it. Lately we've been having some chats about zoodles. Zoodle is just such a fun word! Do you zoodle? Zoodle your noodle! The catchy stuff you can say with the word "zoodle" is endless and I laugh every time.

In case you don't know, zoodles are "noodles" made from zucchini. You can use a Spiralizer, a Vegetti, the large holes of a cheese grater or even just create long strips with a vegetable peeler. It's pretty simple to do. When I make zoodles, I put them in a strainer, salt them and let them stand for at least 20 minutes to allow the salt time to draw out the moisture from the squash. If you skip this step it'll still taste fine, but you're likely to turn your beautiful dinner into a drippy mess.

I've been promising my friend I would create a new recipe with zoodles just so I could hashtag it on Instagram. It has been crazy hot lately and my AC doesn't function properly. Before I start making dinner, it's uncomfortable. Once I kick on the stove it gets miserable, and by the time I turn on the oven I think I could fry an egg on my forehead. It was so hot in my house the other day my coconut oil was completely liquefied - and I store it in a dark cupboard.

Okay, done whining. At least out loud.

The point is, I wanted to make something for dinner that wouldn't require the oven. Please don't suggest barbecuing, because when it's 105 outside, standing over a hot grill is worse than standing over a hot oven (even when it's easily 90 degrees inside). I had a pound of shrimp, which interestingly yielded far less little critters than my last pound of shrimp. Go figure. We were out of leftovers for lunches, so I needed something that would yield more than we would eat in one sitting. I figured a combination of the shrimp and beef would work well with some Asian flavors. Enter the Shrimp & Beef Stir fry. I made a pot of rice for my guy because he needs way more food and calories than I do (and doesn't care for zoodles anyway), but for me it's zoodles forever. Heh heh heh zoodles.

For the sauce:

Peel shrimp and defrost beef (if frozen). Set aside. Melt coconut oil in a very large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Saute until soft. Add beef and cook a few minutes until about halfway cooked. Add shrimp.

Mix together sauce ingredients and whisk well to combine the oil with the other wet ingredients.

When shrimp and beef are cooked through, stir in diced tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Add sauce and stir until evenly combined.

Today has been a pretty epic day. Got to sleep in (something I'm rarely able to do), hit up the farmers' market and then chill out reading. Do Sundays get much better?

At the farmers' market I snagged a big bag of cherries, some beets, some hand-crafted herbal tea, plus something pretty incredible for my mom's birthday. Since she reads my blog sometimes, I can't tell you what it is. But trust me, it's pretty epic. My friend has a booth at the FM where she sells scrubs and lotions made from organic essential oils, coconut oil, apricot oil, etc. The FM doesn't have a ton in the way of veggies just yet, but there's a ton of amazing artisans there and it's totally worth going down for.

The temperatures are over 100 degrees (and it has been that way for a while now). What happened to Spring? We had a rainy winter, a snowy spring, and now temps that make me melt into a little puddle. Anyone who says global warming isn't real is out of their mind. The point is, I didn't want the oven on for a long time to make lunch, and I wanted something a little lighter. Sometimes simple turns out the best anyway.

I served this fish with asparagus (primarily because I could roast it at the same time I was cooking the fish). It was light and perfect.

Recipe

1-2 lbs cod, cut into four pieces (the butcher will do this for you if you ask)1-2 T. olive oil1-2 T. lemon juiceSea salt, garlic powder and dried dill

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease, or use parchment paper. Arrange fish on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, just enough of each to lightly cover the fish. Season with salt, garlic powder and dill according to preference.

Bake for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

Bear with me. I know this sounds weird and gross and completely unappealing, but it is so friggin tasty. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a Girl's Night Out sponsored by the local radio station, where Giant Taste, Skinny Waist debuted its new line of healthy baking mixes. We were set up out in the food tent and it was crazy fun! So many people! Lots of food and tons of free samples. Snap Daddy's was there sampling their chocolate meatballs. I had to try one just out of morbid curiosity.

Then I tried another. And another. I wanted to buy some but they wouldn't let me - kept insisting I could have as many free ones as I wanted. I was fairly sure they put crack in them (but they insisted this was a narcotic-free food). Toward the end of the night the girl just gave me a Dixie cup full because I kept going back. Who would have known a chocolate meatball would end up being a Food-Without-Breaks? It was crazy good. Then the guy gave me his recipe: one part of their barbecue sauce to one part Nutella, slathered over Collosimo's meatballs.

Oops. Well, that explains the hangover I had the next day.

I knew I wanted to make something similar to this, but obviously I wanted to skip the Nutella and have something that was Whole30 compliant 'cause that's how I roll. As with everything here at GTSW, we want to be able to indulge without the guilt.

Swap noodles for spaghetti squash - check. Piece of cake. I don't even like pasta. I already have a pretty darned good meatball recipe so all I was missing was the sauce. The chocolate meatball sauce was not overly chocolately or overly sweet - in fact, if you didn't know it had chocolate in it you never would have tasted it. The sauce had a little bit of kick to it but not much.

Hmm. Clothes Make The Girl has a chocolate chili recipe on their website and in their book, Well Fed. I've tried it, and while it's tasty, it wasn't really what I was looking for. So I did what I do, threw a bunch of stuff in a pot, and voila - chocolate meatball sauce.

The time to make this recipe is fairly intense if you make the spaghetti squash and meatballs in the same night (unless you have one of those cool double ovens that I covet and can bake them at the same time). You can cut down on this time by using zucchini noodles in place of the spaghetti squash. If you already have some spaghetti squash or meatballs prepared, that will cut down on cooking time as well. Don't be intimidated by the list of ingredients - most of them are spices for the sauce. This recipe will make quite a bit. If you're just cooking for a couple of people, feel free to cut it in half.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. For the squash, poke holes all around it and microwave for 5 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Slice off the ends, cut in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, then season liberally with salt and pepper. Put squash, cut size up, in a baking dish, and add water to the dish to prevent it from burning. Bake about 40 minutes or until fork tender.

While spaghetti squash is cooking, prepare meatballs. When spaghetti squash is done cooking, remove from oven and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Bake meatballs according to recipe directions.

While meatballs are cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat and whisk to combine. As the sauce heats the coconut oil and nut butter will start to melt and dissolve into the sauce. Continue simmering, whisking occasionally, until meatballs are cooked.

Shred spaghetti squash with a fork. Serve meatballs over spaghetti squash and top with sauce.

Variation: Substitute Zoodles for the spaghetti squash. Use a Spiralizer or cheese grater to shred zucchini. Either serve raw, or saute for a few minutes in ghee or coconut oil. If sauteing, put cooked Zoodles in a strainer over a bowl for a few minutes to let some of the moisture release.

My grandfather used to say that the mountains were his church. I never quite understood what he meant until I became an adult. There is something so incredibly peaceful about being in nature, away from cell phones, email, social media and other distractions. People you meet in the mountains are usually so friendly - unlike in the city. Sure, there are friendly people in the city, too, but not like you find when you're out in nature. There's something about being in "God's country" that seems to bring us all together.

Hiking is one of my favorite activities. I'm slow. My asthma makes it hard to breathe at times. But none of that stops me from getting out and loving every minute that I'm out there. Not every view is the most breathtaking, but sometimes it's more about the journey than the destination. Hiking really speaks to the introvert in me.

This weekend we planned to hike Mount Timpanogos but we didn't leave early enough. It's 18 miles round trip, so you really need to get an early start. Since we were limited on time we decided to hike Bald Mountain instead. I could not believe the wind. I had my hat cinched so tightly on my head I thought I might have to dig it out of my forehead. When we were almost to the top we came across a group of hikers who commented they didn't make it all the way because it was too windy. I felt sad for them when I realized how close they got before giving up. Yes, it was crazy windy and there were times I thought the wind might pick me up and blow me off the mountain. At no point was it unsafe.

That's kind of a life lesson. Things will get hard. Things will come up that may seemingly prevent you from reaching your goal. The message is: Don't give up. You never know how close you are to your destination.

On to the recipe. This is one of those things that I'd like to make more often, but as you know, shrimp can be fairly pricey. You can save a few bucks if you de-vein it yourself. I've de-veined shrimp twice, and it's not something I care to do. It's disgusting. When I was a kid my dad called the vein the "poop shoot," so of course it completely grosses me out to dig that little sucker out of a few dozen shrimp.

I digress. If you can find shrimp that are de-veined your work is more than halfway done. Just pull off the shells, toss it in a bag of marinade, and dinner comes together fairly quickly. This is another one of those things that I broil because I don't care to take the time to prepare my charcoal grill, but grilling them would work great as well. We did that on a camping trip once and they turned out incredible.

This recipe will make 4 skewers, enough for 2 people. It's very easy to double to serve more. The longer you marinate it, the tastier it will be. You could even put it in the fridge in the morning, and it will be good to go when you get home from work.

Directions:Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a small mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously to create an emulsification. Put shrimp in a gallon sized zip-top bag, then pour sauce in bag. Massage the bag to evenly distribute the marinade, squeeze out as much air as possible. Put in the fridge for at least an hour (longer is better).

Preheat your oven's broiler or grill. Put shrimp on skewers, about 6 shrimp per stick. Arrange on a broiler pan (or put directly on hot grill). Broil for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp turns completely pink. Watch closely to prevent over cooking.

Stress is one of those things that can really hinder your weight loss goals. I'm sure you've heard by now that stress increases cortisol levels, which can make it difficult to lose weight. Stress can also wreak havoc on emotional eaters. Think about it: when you're stressed out, are you more likely to reach for some carrot sticks or a bowl of ice cream?

Since we'd all agree that stress is bad for the body I won't spend much time trying to convince you that it is. Instead, I'm going to provide you with some methods for stress reduction. These are different than your typical advice of "go for a walk" or "get plenty of sleep." While those things are effective, I'm here to provide you with some suggestions that are a bit out of the box.

Meditation

When I met my boyfriend 3 years ago he tried to tell me that through meditation I could cure anything that was ailing me. He tried to tell me that I was allowing myself to get sick. Of course that sounded silly to me - until I tried it. I used to be sick all the time and suffered from chronic headaches, but since I started meditating, my headaches are gone and I can count on one hand the number of times I've been ill. If I do get sick, I can usually get over it pretty quickly by meditating.

Here's what you do: get comfortable. Lie on your bed, lie on a yoga mat - whatever makes you comfortable. Take off your shoes if possible. I find it helpful to put on some relaxing music (and use headphones) to help me get into the right state of mind. There are some good meditation stations on Pandora.

Starting at your toes, clench and un-clench each muscle, allowing it to relax before moving on to the next one. Breathe deeply, in through your nose, and focus on letting your breath fill all parts of your body, from the top of your head through the tip of your toes. Sometimes I find it helpful to visualize a soft energy circling each muscle I'm trying relax, letting it swirl around and engulf you. Pay close attention to those areas of your body where you carry your stress - your face, jaw, shoulders, eyes, forehead - clench it up and just let go. If a thought enters your mind (which it will if you're stressed out), give that thought some brief attention, honor it, tell it you will get back to it in a minute, and visualize yourself placing that thought on a shelf. Repeat this until your mind is completely clear, then just spend some time breathing naturally - being aware of your breath but not manipulating it - and just enjoy being deep inside your body. I often see my energy in colors. Identify the positive colors, and if you see some negative colors, manipulate those colors in your mind until you're completely full of the positive and the negative is gone.

Mandala Coloring Pages

Often times I'll end up falling asleep while meditating. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I also want to meditate while I'm awake so I can develop something creative or solve a problem. Mandala coloring pages are a great alternative to mediation. I was turned on to these by a brilliant woman just a short time ago - and I'm here to tell you, they work.

Here's what you do: gather all of your materials - coloring pages, coloring pencils and a sharpener. Sit in a quiet room and turn off all other distractions. No phones, no computers, no people. I often color at work on my lunch break, so I'll put a note on my door saying I'm at lunch and "Please do not disturb." I turn off the volume on my desk phone and cell phone, set my IM to "busy" and lock my computer.

Start coloring. Don't worry about doing it perfectly. Remember, it's the act of coloring that's important, not creating a beautiful work of art. Let your mind go where it wants and just keep coloring. If you start feeling uptight or stressed out, you may want to shelve that thought for a few minutes and move on. But, if a thought starts coming in and you find yourself brainstorming - go with it. Some of my best ideas have come while coloring.

You can purchase coloring books at bookstores or on Amazon, but if you just want to try it (or you're a cheapskate like me), you can print some pages for free from a few websites. I like http://printmandala.com/. These pages aren't as detailed or intricate as the ones you can purchase, but they get the job done and the cost to print them is minimal. The woman who told me about these said to make sure you color for at least 7 minutes at a time because that's how long it takes for your brain to enter the altered state that will relax you and help you to be more creative. There are times I can literally feel the shift in my brain. It's almost magical.

Be In the Moment

This is a technique I learned in a stress management class in college and it can literally be done anywhere. It doesn't require closing your eyes so you can even do it while sitting in a meeting or doing other things that require your attention, and it only takes a few minutes to bring the blood pressure down.

Here's what you do: Be aware - of everything. Start at your feet. Notice how your feet feel inside your shoes. Notice how your socks feel against your toes. Notice how your feet feel touching the ground. Then move on and up. How do your pants feel against your legs? Or, if you're wearing shorts or a skirt, can you feel how the air feels on your legs? How does the chair feel that you're sitting in? Can you feel the air on your neck and face? The great thing about Being In the Moment is that your attention is not diverted from what you're doing. In fact, your attention may become more focused.

I've even done this while driving (though you should determine for yourself if this is safe for you or if it will take your mind off the road). Driving, especially in traffic, really stresses me out. If I simply focus on how the gas pedal feels under my foot, how the car seat feels, and how the steering wheel feels in my hands, it can prevent an episode of Road Rage.

Finger Tapping

This one is so simple and doesn't require any effort at all. If you do it in the middle of a meeting you may get some odd looks, but that's about it. I find this technique helpful when I'm sitting in a training that seems particularly inapplicable and I know I have more important things to do in my office.

Here's what you do: press your index fingers on both hands to your thumbs on the same hand. Release, and press your middle fingers to your thumbs. Release, then press your ring fingers to your thumbs. Release and, you guessed it, press your pinkie fingers to your thumbs. Release and start again - but in reverse: pinkie fingers, ring fingers, middle fingers, index fingers. Go through this series over and over until you're feeling more calm. Resist the urge to rush. You can do this as many times as you need until you start feeling calmer.

What techniques do you have for stress management? Comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Have you ever tried grass-fed beef? I know that these days it seems like a trendy type of thing, but I'm here to tell you if you haven't tried it, you're missing out. Buying grass-fed beef in the grocery store (i.e. health food stores) can be really tough on the wallet. If you're fortunate enough to have a farmer near you, that's the way to go.

We buy our beef from a rancher called Canyon Meadows. Not only is their beef incredible, their prices and customer service cannot be beat. It's a family owned company right here in Utah. Every month or so we'll pick up one of their economy packages. I take home an entire case which includes ground beef, stir fry, roasts and steaks for around $200. This may seem like a lot, especially if you're on a budget, but I'm telling you - it's worth it.

I only started getting the steaks in my package recently because I was of the mindset that steaks were too expensive. That all changed when I ended up with a couple of top sirloin steaks in our package. Once you try them, you'll never want to eat a conventionally farmed steak again. Obviously barbecuing is a great option. We have a charcoal grill and I don't always feel like pouring the coals, soaking them in lighter fluid, lighting them, waiting for them to burn down... I'm a little tired just thinking about it. If you broil them, you can have dinner on the table in a jiffy. This is so simple it should probably be illegal.

I haven't tested Medium-Well or Well Done because, frankly, I like my steaks to still be mooing. It seems logical that you would just add a couple of minutes per side, but if you try it out and find a good time, please let us know! And yes, this will work with conventionally farmed steaks as well.

Pan frying chicken on medium-high heat is one of the easiest ways to keep it flavorful and moist. This recipe may seem like a lot of work by the time you butterfly cut the chicken, fry it, prepare the sauce and saute the mushrooms. Honestly, though, I surprise myself every time I make it with how easy it is. I usually put it off until a night when I have less going on, and then end up pleased when dinner is on the table so quickly - especially if you pair it with a frozen steamed vegetable.

The great thing about this recipe is you can make as little or as much as you want. If you're doing more than 2 chicken breasts, you'll probably need to cook it in batches. You don't want the chicken to overlap in the pan. Be sure to cover the pan with a lid to keep the oil from splashing all over your stove.

Don't be afraid of the fat in this recipe. In Paleo Land, we're teaching our bodies to burn fat for fuel instead of carbs. Makes a lot of sense if you think about it. If you want to burn fat (i.e. lose weight) the best way to do that is to teach your body to burn the fat for fuel. Avoid a lot of carbs, especially starchy carbs, unless you're working out regularly. Obviously you don't want to overdo it on the fat, but a thumb sized serving of fat at each meal is what the Whole30 people recommend because it will make your meals taste better and leave you more satisfied. If you're not doing Whole30 and can tolerate dairy, grass-fed organic butter works great. Ghee is also an excellent option.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and ensure they are not overlapping. Cover loosely with a lid or splatter guard and let cook 5-6 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken to a serving platter using a spatula.

Melt butter in the same, hot skillet. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the little bits of chicken that have stuck to the pan. Once melted (but not browned) add chopped mushrooms. The mushrooms will soak up most of the butter and oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until mushrooms are very soft and the butter is starting to release from the mushroom pieces. Serve mushrooms over chicken.

In my opinion, absolutely nothing beats a good chicken wing. I don’t particularly care for the super spicy wings (though my man does), so I usually try to balance them out in the medium range. The great thing about this recipe is that it’s totally versatile and can be adjusted for any palate.

I used to make wings pretty regularly, but we started noticing the wings we were buying had a lot of fat on them. Since you can’t trim the fat from wings and they were farmed commercially, we stopped getting them. I’ve been watching the store shelves for wings from Rosie’s, but alas, they were never available. I’d try to snag the wings when I made a whole chicken, but it just wasn’t the same.

Can you imagine my elation when I came across some Rosie’s wings at Sprouts? Kind of a silly thing to get giddy over, and I can only imagine the other customers’ reactions watching me scoop up the only three packages of wings from the cooler and shove them in my basket before anyone else could grab them.

I usually make wings in the oven because I like the way they crisp up. My life is insane at the moment and I really thought the crock pot might be the better option. I’d never done wings that way, but they turned out great. You don’t want to overcook them - just a couple of hours is all it takes. My man was home early enough he could start the crock pot for me, and dinner was on the table in no time flat. If you're not lucky enough to have someone home to start them for you, you could always toss them in the crock pot before running errands or while hanging with your kiddos. Warning: your house will smell amazing.

Remember, you can adjust the amount of Frank’s, chili powder and crushed pepper flakes to achieve your desired level of spicy (or not).

I’ll let you in on a little secret – I’ve had a big project in the works, which is why I’ve been largely absent from this blog for a while. I’m working on developing some healthy baking mixes. They’re wheat-free, chemical-free and preservative-free.